BUILDING BIG: Databank: Channel Tunnel (Chunnel) Channel Tunnel (Chunnel) Location: Folkestone, England, and Sangatte, France Completion Date: 1994 Length: 163,680 feet (31 miles) Purpose: Railway Materials: Steel, concrete Engineer(s): Transmanche Link Engineering Firm When England and France decided to link their two countries with a 32-mile rail tunnel beneath the English Channel, engineers were faced with a huge challenge. Not only would they have to build one of the longest tunnels in the world; they would have to convince the public that passengers would be safe in a tunnel this size. Tunnel fires, like the Holland Tunnel disaster, were common at this time. How did the engineers resolve this problem? They built an escape route. Click photo for larger image. The Channel Tunnel, also called the Euro Tunnel or Chunnel, actually consists of three tunnels. Two of the tubes are full sized and accommodate rail traffic. In between the two train tunnels is a smaller service tunnel that serves as an emergency escape route. There are also several "cross-over" passages that allow trains to switch from one track to another.

Just one year after the Chunnel opened, this engineering design was put to the test. Thirty-one people were trapped in a fire that broke out in a train coming from France. The design worked. Everyone was able to escape through the service tunnel. It took just three years for tunnel boring machines from France and England to chew through the chalky earth and meet hundreds of feet below the surface of the English Channel. Today, trains roar through the tunnel at speeds up to 100 miles per hour and it's possible to get from one end to the other in only 20 minutes! Here's how this tunnel stacks up against some of the longest tunnels in the world. (total length, in feet) Channel Tunnel (Chunnel) 163,680' (31 miles) Fast Facts: At the time it was being built, the Chunnel was the most expensive construction project ever conceived. It took $21 billion to complete the tunnel. That's 700 times more expensive than the cost to build the Golden Gate Bridge ! Many of the tunnel boring machines used on the Chunnel were as long as two football fields and capable of boring 250 feet a day.

When construction began in 1988, British and French tunnel workers raced to reach the middle of the tunnel first. The British won. In the first five years of operation, trains carried 28 million passengers and 12 million tons of freight through the tunnel. How the Channel Tunnel Was Built and Designed Updated December 04, 2015. What Is the Channel Tunnel? The Channel Tunnel, often called the Chunnel, is a railway tunnel that lies underneath the water of the English Channel and connects the island of Great Britain with mainland France. The Channel Tunnel , completed in 1994, is considered one of the most amazing engineering feats of the 20th century. Dates: Officially opened on May 6, 1994 Also Known As: The Chunnel, the Euro Tunnel Overview of the Channel Tunnel: For centuries, crossing the English Channel via boat or ferry had been considered a miserable task. The often inclement weather and choppy water could make even the most seasoned traveler seasick. It is perhaps not surprising then that as early as 1802 plans were being made for an alternate route across the English Channel.

Early Plans This first plan, made by French engineer Albert Mathieu Favier, called for a tunnel to be dug under the water of the English Channel. This tunnel was to be large enough for horse-drawn carriages to travel through. continue reading below our video 10 Best Universities in the United States Although Favier was able to get the backing of French leader Napoleon Bonaparte , the British rejected Favier's plan. (The British feared, perhaps correctly, that Napoleon wanted to build the tunnel in order to invade England.) Over the next two centuries, others created plans to connect Great Britain with France. Despite progress made on a number of these plans, including actual drilling, they all eventually fell through. Sometimes the reason was political discord, other times is was financial problems. Still other times it was Britain's fear of invasion. All of these factors had to be solved before the Channel Tunnel could be built. A Contest In 1984, French president Francois Mitterrand and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher jointly agreed that a link across the English Channel would be mutually beneficial. However, both governments realized that although the project would create much needed jobs, neither country's government could fund such a massive project. Thus, they decided to hold a contest.

This contest invited companies to submit their plans to create a link across the English Channel. As part of the contest's requirements, the submitting company was to provide a plan to raise the needed funds to build the project, have the ability to operate the proposed Channel link once the project was completed, and the proposed link must be able to endure for at least 120 years. Ten proposals were submitted, including various tunnels and bridges. Some of the proposals were so outlandish in design that they were easily dismissed; others would be so expensive that they were unlikely to ever be completed. The proposal that was accepted was the plan for the Channel Tunnel, submitted by the Balfour Beatty Construction Company (this later became Transmanche Link). The Design for the Channel Tunnels The Channel Tunnel was to be made up of two, parallel railway tunnels that would be dug under the English Channel. Between these two railway tunnels would run a third, smaller tunnel that would be used for maintenance, including drainage pipes, communication cables, drainage pipes, etc. Each of the trains that would run through the Chunnel would be able to hold cars and trucks. This would enable personal vehicles to go through the Channel Tunnel without having individual drivers face such a long, underground drive.

The plan was expected to cost $3.6 billion. Getting Started Just getting started on the Channel Tunnel was a monumental task. Funds had to be raised (over 50 large banks gave loans), experienced engineers had to be found, 13,000 skilled and unskilled workers had to be hired and housed, and special tunnel boring machines had to be designed and built. As these things were getting done, the designers had to determine exactly where the tunnel was to be dug. Specifically, the geology of the bottom of the English Channel had to be carefully examined. It was determined that although the bottom was made of a thick layer of chalk, the Lower Chalk layer, made up of chalk marl, would be the easiest to bore through. Building the Channel Tunnel The digging of the Channel Tunnel began simultaneously from the British and the French coasts, with the finished tunnel meeting in the middle. On the British side, the digging began near Shakespeare Cliff outside of Dover; the French side began near the village of Sangatte. The digging was done by huge tunnel boring machines, known as TBMs, which cut through the chalk, collected the debris, and transported the debris behind it using conveyor belts.

Then this debris, known as spoil, would be would be hauled up to the surface via railroad wagons (British side) or mixed with water and pumped out through a pipeline (French side). As the TBMs bore through the chalk, the sides of the newly dug tunnel had to be lined with concrete. This concrete lining was to help the tunnel withstand the intense pressure from above as well as to help waterproof the tunnel. Connecting the Tunnels One of the most difficult tasks on the Channel Tunnel project was making sure that both the British side of the tunnel and the French side actually met up in the middle. Special lasers and surveying equipment was used; however, with such a large project, no one was sure it would actually work. Since the service tunnel was the first to be dug, it was the joining of the two sides of this tunnel that caused the most fanfare. On December 1, 1990, the meeting of the two sides was officially celebrated. Two workers, one British (Graham Fagg) and one French (Philippe Cozette), were chosen by lottery to be the first to shake hands through the opening. After them, hundreds of workers crossed to the other side in celebration of this amazing achievement.

For the first time in history, Great Britain and France were connected. Finishing the Channel Tunnel Although the meeting of the two sides of the service tunnel was a cause of great celebration, it certainly wasn't the end of the Channel Tunnel building project. Both the British and the French kept digging. The two sides met in the northern running tunnel on May 22, 1991 and then only a month later, the two sides met in the middle of the southern running tunnel on June 28, 1991. That too wasn't the end of the Chunnel construction . Crossover tunnels, land tunnels from the coast to the terminals, piston relief ducts, electrical systems, fireproof doors, the ventilation system, and train tracks all had to be added. Also, large train terminals had to be built at Folkestone in Great Britain and Coquelles in France. The Channel Tunnel Opens On December 10, 1993, the first test run was completed through the entire Channel Tunnel. After additional fine tuning, the Channel Tunnel officially opened on May 6, 1994.

After six years of construction and $15 billion spent (some sources say upwards of $21 billion), the Channel Tunnel was finally complete. How the Channel Tunnel was Built - Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Home > build How the Channel Tunnel was Built The Channel Tunnel is one of the biggest engineering projects ever undertaken in the UK. Taking more than five years to complete, with more than 13,000 workers from England and France collaborating to realise the vision, the tunnel has been named one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Today, as thousands of passengers take the Eurotunnel le Shuttle under the Channel every year, it can be easy to take for granted this extraordinary and unique man-made feat. Fare Finder Country of Residence Search and book Are you sure you want your outward journey to start from Folkestone? Are you sure you want your outward journey to start from Calais? Yes Cancel Construction 1802 Ideas for a tunnel connecting England and France have been in existence since at least 1802, when French engineer Albert Mathieu proposed an underground highwayfor horse-drawn carriages, with an island in the middle for changing your steed.

1856 The first serious railway connection proposal came in 1856, again from the French, when surveyor Aimé Thomé de Gamond suggested to Emperor Napoleon III that a tunnel could be mined out, but the scheme was not taken any further. 1980's It wasn't until the 1980s that a coalition of French and British leaders invited private companies to put forward plans for an international link. Ideas mooted included a 4.5km suspension bridge, holding a road encased in a tube, a drive-through tunnel and, of course, today's high-speed rail link. 1988 Once a decision was made construction was able to begin in 1988, with the tunnel being dug simultaneously from France and Britain. It was at the time the most expensive construction project ever proposed and the cost finally came in at £9 billion. Giant boring machines were used to shift tonnes of rock and soil every day. Some of the machines were built especially for the job, with a combination of extremely high pressure water jets and rotating disc cutters used to burrow through the land beneath the Channel.

The spoil from tunnelling was used to create a 73 acre hoe on Britain's coast, on the French side their spoil was piled up into a new hill. 1990 On December 1 1990 a Frenchman and an Englishman shook hands in front of the World's media, through a hole connecting the two tunnel ends. 1994 The completed project was opened by Queen Elizabeth II and French President François Mitterrand on May 6 1994. Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Super Structures Episode Connect: Channel Tunnel, Strait of Dover, English Channel - Railway Technology Inside view of a Eurotunnel shuttle. Channel Tunnel, Strait of Dover, English Channel, United Kingdom The Channel Tunnel, or "Chunnel" as it is sometimes known, is a 50km-long undersea rail tunnel below the Strait of Dover in the English Channel. It is the longest undersea tunnel in the world and connects Folkestone in Kent, UK, with Coquelles in Pas-de-Calais, France. The average depth of the tunnel is 40m. Construction of the tunnel began in 1986 and was completed in 1994.

An investment of £14.7bn was made in the project. About 500 trains run through the tunnel each day with a crossing time of 35 minutes. Eurotunnel operates the tunnel and provides vehicle transport services, while Eurostar runs high-speed passenger trains. In 2010, Eurostar carried nearly nine million passengers through the tunnel. International freight trains also service the tunnel. Deutsche Bahn will also run its high-speed Intercity-Express (ICE) trains through the tunnel by 2014. Test runs were completed in October 2010. Deutsche Bahn received approval from the Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission in July 2013 to operate the ICE trains through the Channel tunnel. Project "In 2010, Eurostar carried nearly nine million passengers through the tunnel. International freight trains also service the tunnel." Construction of a tunnel linking England and France was first proposed in 1802. The project, however, did not materialise due to the absence of appropriate tunnelling techniques. In 1955, the need for the tunnel was expressed by both countries.

Consequently, the Channel Tunnel Study Group was established in 1957 to study the possibility of building a tunnel link. Studies conducted by the group revealed that tunnelling could be carried out through the lower chalk stratum, geological sediment formed millions of years ago. The layer is less prone to fracturing and collapsing and contains clay that prevents penetration of groundwater. The project was officially launched in 1973 but abandoned in 1975 due to the fuel crisis. It was revived in 1984 and tenders were invited for construction. A concession agreement was signed with Channel Tunnel Group and France-Manche for 55 years in 1986. In the same year, the Eurotunnel Group was established to execute the project. The engineering, construction, procurement and project management services contract was awarded to Bechtel. A consortium called TransManche Link (TML) was awarded the construction contract.

The consortium included Balfour Beatty Constructions, Bouygues, Costain Civil Engineering, Dumez, Société Auxiliaire d'Entreprises, Société Générale d'Entreprises, Spie Batignolles, Tarmac Constructions, Taylor Woodrow Construction and Wimpey Major Projects. A total of 11 tunnel boring machines, each weighing about 450t, were used to dig the tunnels. Following official inauguration in May 1994, first commercial services through the tunnel started in June 1994. Infrastructure The tunnel consists of two rail tunnels and one service tunnel, each 50km in length. The two rail tunnels have a diameter of 7.6m and are located 30m apart. "Eurotunnel operates the tunnel and provides vehicle transport services, while Eurostar runs high-speed passenger trains." The service tunnel, with a diameter of 4.8m, is situated between the two rail tunnels and 15m apart from each tunnel. The multifunctional service tunnel is used in case of emergencies and enables personnel to reach the scene of an incident in minimum time.

Each rail tunnel contains a single track, overhead catenary and two walkways which are used for emergency evacuation. The overhead catenary provides traction power to the trains. An undersea crossover is also provided in each tunnel, enabling trains to pass from one tunnel to another during maintenance operations. Electricity is supplied to the trains, tunnels, lighting and drainage pumps by two 160MW substations on either side of the tunnel. In case of the breakdown of one substation, the other can supply electricity to the entire system. Two terminals, at Coquelles and Folkestone, connect the rail system to other road and rail networks. Rolling stock The tunnel is serviced by 58 electric Brush / Bombardier locomotives, nine Bombardier passenger shuttles for cars and coaches, 15 truck shuttles or heavy goods vehicles shuttles and service locomotives. The electric locomotives are 800m in length and feature three bogies with two motorised axles. Each shuttle operating in the tunnel is fitted with two locomotives on either side to complete the journey in case one of the locomotives fails.

The stainless steel passenger shuttles consist of two parts - one to carry vehicles higher than 1.85m such as coaches and caravans on a single deck, and the other to carry cars and motorcycles on a double deck. Each shuttle has 24 carriages and four loading / unloading wagons. The shuttles were built by Bombardier, BN and ANF. Six Breda-Fiat and nine Arbel type shuttles form the truck shuttles for the tunnel. Each shuttle includes two locomotives and three loading / unloading wagons. The shuttles also include 30 carrying wagons each of which can carry a 44t truck. The service locomotives include 24 rubber-tyre vehicles which move on cast-in-place concrete. They can travel up to a speed of 80km/h and are electronically guided by an embedded cable. The service locomotives carry out maintenance operations. Signalling and communications The entire transport system in the tunnel is automated and controlled from a rail control centre (RCC). Two RCCs are located at each terminal to manage rail traffic. Controllers are also installed in the system to take manual control in case of a technical failure.

"It is the longest undersea tunnel in the world and connects Folkestone in Kent, UK, with Coquelles in Pas-de-Calais, France." The RCC consists of two main components, the rail traffic management (RTM) system and the engineering management system (EMS). The RTM controls rail traffic while the EMS controls ventilation, lighting and other equipment. A signalling system called TVM 430 is used in the tunnel for transmitting data from track to train. Locomotive drivers receive instructions and data along the track and through indicator lights in the cab. Vigilance devices, automatic train protection systems and fire detection systems are also installed at several places throughout the tunnels. In December 2009, Alcatel-Lucent was awarded a contract to upgrade the communications infrastructure in the tunnel. Under the €21.5m project, Alcatel-Lucent installed its GSM-R solution in the tunnel in time for the 2012 Olympics. The system helps in improving tunnel safety and communications efficiency between RCC and train driver. Mobile telephone and internet services were launched inside the tunnel in July 2012.

Alcatel-Lucent worked in collaboration with the French telecom operators Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecomi for the same. Related content Definition of Channel Tunnel from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University . All rights reserved. Encyclopedia Channel Tunnel The Channel Tunnel (French: Le tunnel sous la Manche; also referred to as the Chunnel) is a 50.5-kilometre undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent, in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais, near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is 75 m deep. At 37.9 kilometres, the Channel Tunnel possesses the longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world, although the Seikan Tunnel in Japan is both longer overall at 53.85 kilometres and deeper at 240 metres below sea level. The tunnel carries high-speed Eurostar passenger trains, Eurotunnel Shuttle roll-on/roll-off vehicle transport—the largest in the world—and international rail freight trains. The tunnel connects end-to-end with the LGV Nord and High Speed 1 high-speed railway lines.

Ideas for a cross-Channel fixed link appeared as early as 1802, but British political and press pressure over compromised national security stalled attempts to construct a tunnel. The eventual successful project, organised by Eurotunnel, began construction in 1988 and opened in 1994. The project came in 80% over its predicted budget. Since its construction, the tunnel has faced several problems. Fires have disrupted operation of the tunnel. Illegal immigrants and asylum seekers have attempted to use the tunnel to enter the UK, causing a minor diplomatic disagreement over the siting of the Sangatte refugee camp, which was eventually closed in 2002. Chunnel Facts: An Incredible Experience Engineered For All Chunnel Facts: An Incredible Experience Engineered For All Channel Tunnel Illustration. (c) experimental / While the Channel Tunnel , or “Chunnel” isn’t an official wonder of the world yet, read some Chunnel facts and you’ll realize it is absolutely a wonder under the world. And it’s yours to experience.

If a trip including London and Paris is on your bucket list, traveling by train through The Channel Tunnel (or The Chunnel – as it’s more commonly known) will likely be part of your journey. Although you have the option to take a ferry, fly or even swim… it’s the Eurostar train that will whisk you between London and Paris under the English Channel. But before we get into the train experience, let’s get back to The Chunnel itself. If you’re going to travel through it – you may be surprised at the feat of engineering it truly is. Eurostar Train Amazing Chunnel Facts, Amazing Chunnel Tracks The Channel Tunnel is a rail tunnel linking London and Paris beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is 250 feet deep and at 23.5 miles long, the tunnel has the longest undersea portion of any in the world. That’s only the beginning of the impressive Chunnel facts. Did you know a contest was held to determine where to place the Channel Tunnel? That both the British and French started digging from each side at the same time?

Or that since its official opening in 1994, millions of people have journeyed in fabulous style and comfort between London and Paris on the Eurostar? Eurotunnel – Channel Tunnel Terminal, Folkestone, England Ready to take the Chunnel train between London and Paris ? One-way tickets for adults start at around $180. What does that journey under the English Channel make you feel like? Well, if you’re in Premier Class, like you’re on top of the world despite the fact that you’re as much as 250 feet underwater. It includes a 3-course meal and your choice of fine spirit on board. If you’re in Comfort class, or first class as it’s otherwise known, you’ll travel in roomy contentment with an included snack and drink. Economy seating offers the same dazzling Chunnel train ride in a family friendly car and access to a buffet car with snacks for purchase. London Eye and Houses of Parliament London & Paris. With so much to do, where do you start? Make the most of everything in London with a London Travel Card . It offers unlimited trips on all London public transportation including the Underground .

It’s even more perfect when you team it up with a London Pass giving you free entry to over 70 London attractions, and VIP entry where available (or as we prefer to call it in London, the royal treatment). The Paris Visite offers unlimited travel using the Metro and bus system anywhere in Paris, as well as some regional train lines. And of course, what is Paris without a Guided Visit of the Louvre Museum ? Eiffel Tower in Paris, France Your travel tales? I’ve talked enough. What about you? Have you ever traveled across the English Channel? How was it? Do you have any little Chunnel facts of your own to surprise us with? Are you one of the millions who have already taken the Eurostar? Any pictures to share? Come on…we’d love to hear from you! Share: Seven Wonder of the Modern World: Channel Tunnel The Channel Tunnel Twin rail lines plunge into the Channel Tunnel near Coquelles, France for their 31 mile underground/underwater run. (Photograph Holger Weinandt licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Germany license ) In 1802 a French mining engineer named Albert Mathieu had a wonderful idea.

After years of war between France and England the two European powers were finally at peace. Suppose one took advantage of this reconciliation to forge a permanent tie involving the two nations? Not just an effort to create goodwill between the two, longtime rivals, but a project that would physically link the two countries together. Something that would give them a way to move people and goods across the 20 miles of water of the English Channel without relying on the small, erratic ferries that made passengers seasick as they were knocked about by the unpredictable waves.What if one connected the two great nations together using an underground tunnel? Mathieu presented his idea to the then current ruler of France, Napoleon. Unfortunately for Mathieu the "Peace of Amiens" lasted only a year and his idea was soon forgotten, but only after being ridiculed by the British Press in a cartoon showing French troops invading England via balloons and a tunnel. Seven Quick Facts -Cost: $21 billion -Location: Folkestone,Britain, to Calais, France -Made of: Two parallel rail tunnels and a smaller service tunnel constucted of steel and concrete. -Other: Could have been constructed a century earlier if not for political squabbles between Britain and France.

It is probably for the best that Mathieu's idea was put on the shelf. His early designs showed a tunnel propped up by wood beams and illuminated by candles so that horse drawn carriages could make the twenty mile trip between the nations. While such passageways were practical for the mines of that day, it is doubtful that such a scheme would have succeeded under the Channel. At that time nobody even knew what the geology was like under the sea floor. Were there cracks that might let the seawater disastrously rush in? The Proposed Victorian Tunnel The idea did not die, however, and was revived by another French engineer named Thom� de Gamond in 1857. By then railway engine had been invented and tracks crossed the length and breadth of both continental Europe and Britain. The train, instead of Mathieu's carriages, seemed a much more practical way of moving people and goods through a long tunnel. That same year, in fact, a similar project was already underway in the Alps. The Fr�jus Rail Tunnel was being dug under the mountains between France and Italy: a distance of 8.5 miles. By then tunnels had even been built underwater.

In 1843 a walkway had been completed under the Thames River in London. An 1802 tunnel design by the Albert Mathieu depended on horse drawn carriages to make the 20 mile trip. De Gamond reasoned that as long as the geology permitted, a tunnel could be constructed under the channel. To check the channel floor he made a number of risky solo dives to the sea bed using the primitive diving equipment of the day. His explorations led him to believe that a layer of chalk ran under the channel from Cap Blanc Nez, in France to Dover, in England. The chalk was soft enough to dig, yet self supporting, waterproof and would provide a good medium for a tunnel. De Gamond's design had the passageway surface at an artificial island on the Varne sandbank about midway between the nations. The island would serve as an international port and provide ventilation for the tunnel. It wasn't until the mid 1870's that politics made further work on the tunnel possibe. In the wake of the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71 the French and British became much more friendly because they saw a potential common enemy in the Germans.

The French Channel Tunnel Company was founded and given permission to do some more digging to check the geology. By 1881 serious tunneling got under way from both sides of the channel using new tunnel boring machines invented in 1875. It was estimated a 7 foot diameter pilot tunnel would be completed within 5 years. Because steam engines would pollute the tunnel air with smoke, it was decided that special trains driven by compressed air would be used to move cars through the tunnel. The invention of the electric train would probably had made this design obsolete, however, before the tunnel even opened. A political cartoon showing a French invasion using balloons, boats and a tunnel. Fear of this caused the British to canel the project. Fears of a French Invasion In 1883 tunneling was abruptly put to an end. The French and British governments were squabbling over the Suez Canal and colonies in Africa. The British military complained that if war came the tunnel might provide an easy way for the French to invade. The tunnel company volunteered to build a valve that could be used to flood the tunnel in an emergency and a fortress on the British side to close it with explosives if necessary, but their ideas fell on deaf ears.

The British military leaders' vision was shortsighted however. During World War I they sorely wished that the tunnel had been built as it would have made supplying their troops France much easier. It wasn't until the 1970's that another serious attempt to build a tunnel was again made. Unfortunately a bad economy caused the British to pull out of the project and the digging was abandoned. The Engineering the Modern Tunnel In the 1980's permission was given to a company to build the tunnel using private funds. It was decided that the tunnel would be designed to only accommodate trains. The public favored a drive through tunnel, but because of the extraordinary length, it was felt that access should be limited. It would be too easy to have a major traffic accident underground shut down the whole operation. Cars and trucks would be able to use the facility by driving to terminals on either side where they would be loaded onto special extra-large shuttle trains that would carry them through the tunnel. The "chunnel," as it was nicknamed, was actually designed as three tunnels: Two 25 foot diameter tubes running parallel to carry trains and a 16 foot diameter service tunnel between them. To speed the digging the company used eleven tunnel boring machines (TBMs).

A tunnel boring machine similar to that used on the chunnel. The disc at the front rotates, cutting the rock. TBMs had first been used as far back as 1825, but became the standard way of constructing tunnels after 1953. The machines cut a round passage through the earth by using a disc-like head with tungsten teeth that rotates to break up the rock. The rock is then sent by conveyer belt to the rear of the machine were it can be transported out of the tunnel by rail cars or other vehicles. Boring machines are also capable of reinforcing the tunnel interior surface by erecting concrete walls as they go along. Such re-enforcement was necessary on the French side of the channel where the geology was less stable. The project used eleven boring machines each of which were the length of two football feilds and capable of chewing though 250 feet of rock a day. On the British side six were lowered into an excavation near Dover's Shakespeare Cliff. Three were pointed toward the channel to make the underwater portion of the tunnel and three toward the mainland to make the tunnel approaches. In France the same thing was done with five machines at an excavation near Sangatte.

The Tunnel Opens On December 1st of 1990, the service tunnels, which proceeded in front of main tunnels so they could assess the geology, were connected in a ceremony watched by the press. It took until May 6th 1994, however, before the tunnel was official opened for business in a formal dedication involving British Queen Elizabeth II and French President Fran�ois Mitterrand. A cross section of the chunnel showing the rail tubes, service tube and interconnections. Construction took eight years and cost $21 billion making it the most expensive constrution project in the world up to that point. The result was a tunnel 31.35 miles (50.45 km) long going underground at Folkestone in Britain and emerging again at Calais in France. At the time that it was opened it was the second longest tunnel in the world, but with longer portion of its run underwater (23 miles, 37km) than any other subway. It runs an average of 148 feet (45m), with a maximum depth of 490 feet (150m), below the English Channel.

With the addition of a high-speed track from Dover to London in 2006, passengers can travel between the British and French capitals in just two-hours and fifteen minutes by train. New proposed higher-speed trains might shorten that trip to under two hours in the future. All the trains that run through the tunnel are electric powered helping to eliminate the problem of having fumes underground. However there are several diesel locomotives available for service and emergency work should the power fail. The tunnel has experienced two fires large enough to close down at least one of the two tubes for an extended length of time. Nobody was killed in either incident, however. Entering the Channel Tunnel on the French side. The service tube that runs down between the rail tunnels not only allows work men and equipment to move through the tunnel without blocking the trains, but is connected to the rail tunnels at regular intervals to provide a way for the air pressure in front of an oncoming train to be relieved. About halfway through the tunnel all three passages come together at a "canyon." At that location switches allow the trains to move from one tube to another, giving the operators greater flexibility should a section of a rail tunnels be shut down.

The Channel tunnel was one of the largest construction projects of the 20th century and remains a marvel of engineering even today. It was selected by American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World in 1996. Copyright Lee Krystek 20011. All Rights Reserved. What Is the Chunnel Train? | USA Today What Is the Chunnel Train? Trains enter the Chunnel, which connects France and England. (Photo: Scott Barbour/Getty Images News/Getty Images ) Related Articles How to Compare Train Ticket Prices The Channel Tunnel, more commonly known as the Chunnel, is a route beneath the English Channel that connects England and France. Stretching underground for 31 miles, the tunnel contains a rail line that allows travelers to reach the other side of the channel in roughly 20 minutes compared with a 45-minute ferry trip over the traditional rough channel. Eurostar trains handle traditional commuter service for the Chunnel, while The Eurotunnel Le Shuttle allows guests to bring their vehicles while traveling.

The Eurostar Train The Eurostar Train (eurostar.com) has been serving as one of the Chunnel's primary passenger trains since the underwater route's completion in 1994. The company specializes in connecting travelers from locations around Great Britain to countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France via high-speed trains that can reach in excess of 180 mph. Eurostar trains offer three different classes of travel and run up to 24 times per day between London and Paris during the peak season. The Eurotunnel Le Shuttle The Eurotunnel Le Shuttle (eurotunnel.com) is a Chunnel train that allows travelers to cross beneath the English Channel while in their personal vehicles. It's more of a ferry than a commuter train, and passengers drive their car, truck, van or motorcycle directly onto the train cars for the 35-minute trip between Folkestone, England, and Calais, France. Once aboard the train, passengers can choose to stay inside their cars or get out and stretch their feet in the air-conditioned motor car. When the train arrives at their destination, passengers drive off the train car to their destination.

The Route The Chunnel is made up of three interconnecting tubes -- two rail tracks and a service road. The stations in Folkestone and Calais are not situated on the coast, but instead are several miles inland. Only 23 miles of the Chunnel track is underwater. Be aware that all passengers, as well as any pets with which you are traveling, need to have a valid passport when traveling through the Chunnel. Building the Chunnel Though the idea of creating a tunnel underneath the English Channel connecting England and France had been around since the times of Napoleon, it was not until 1981 that a plan was firmly put in place for the project. With workforces starting at each side of the channel, construction of the Chunnel began in 1988 and took six years to finish. The tunnel officially opened on Nov. 14, 1994. At its deepest point the Chunnel sits at 150 feet under the seabed.

References English Channel tunnel opens - May 06, 1994 - HISTORY.com English Channel tunnel opens Publisher A+E Networks In a ceremony presided over by England’s Queen Elizabeth II and French President Francois Mitterand, a rail tunnel under the English Channel was officially opened, connecting Britain and the European mainland for the first time since the Ice Age. The channel tunnel, or “Chunnel,” connects Folkstone, England, with Sangatte, France, 31 miles away. The Chunnel cut travel time between England and France to a swift 35 minutes and eventually between London and Paristo two-and-a-half hours. As the world’s longest undersea tunnel, the Chunnel runs under water for 23 miles, with an average depth of 150 feet below the seabed. Each day, about 30,000 people, 6,000 cars and 3,500 trucks journey through the Chunnel on passenger, shuttle and freight trains. Millions of tons of earth were moved to build the two rail tunnels–one for northbound and one for southbound traffic–and one service tunnel. Fifteen thousandpeople were employed at the peak of construction.

Ten people were killed during construction. Napoleon’s engineer, Albert Mathieu, planned the first tunnel under the English Channel in 1802, envisioning an underground passage with ventilation chimneys that would stretch above the waves. In 1880, the first real attempt was made by Colonel Beaumont, who bore a tunnel more than a mile long before abandoning the project. Other efforts followed in the 20th century, but none on the scale of the tunnels begun in June 1988. The Chunnel’s $16 billion cost was roughly twice the original estimate, and completion was a year behind schedule. One year into service, Eurotunnel announced a huge loss, one of the biggest in United Kingdom corporate history at the time. A scheme in which banks agreed to swap billions of pounds worth of loans for shares saved the tunnel from going under and it showed its first net profit in 1999. Freight traffic was suspended for six months after a fire broke out on a lorry in the tunnel in November 1996. Nobody was seriously hurt in the incident.

In 1996, the American Society of Civil Engineers identified the tunnel as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Related Videos

Question: Where would you find the 'English end' of the Channel Tunnel?
Answer: Folkestone